Receiving regulator and control apparatus therefor



June 23, 1936. R. R. DONALDSON. JR 2,044,936

RECEIVING REGULATOR AND CONTROL APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed Sept. '16, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 23, 1936. R. R. DONALDS-ON, JR 2,044,936

RECEIVING REGULATOR AND CONTROL APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed Sept. 1a, 1933 2 Sheet-Sheet 2 v64; ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 23, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE amaze RECEIVING REGULATOR AND CONTROT.

- APPARATUS THEREFOR Robert R. Donaldson, In, Pittsburg Pa, asslgnor to John M. Hopwood, Dormont, Pa.

Application September-'16, 1933, Serial No. 689,745

4 Claims- (cl. 121-41) of pressure-sensitive apparatus, for governing the operation of regulators, that shall be free of lost motionbetween its component moving parts and in the operative connections between the regulater and said pressure-sensitive apparatus, to the end that quick response, accurate and stable operation of the regulator may be obtained. A further object ofthe invention is the provision of pressure-sensitive apparatus of the character referred to above that shall be of simple construction, accurate and reliable in operation, and easy to manufacture, install and main tain in service.

Other objects of the invention will, in part, be apparent and will, in part, be obvious from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figs. 1 and 2 are front elevational and top plan views, respectively, of a receiving regulator provided with a pressurevsensitive'device or apparatus embodying one form of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a view of the pressure-sensitive apparatus and the pilot valve shown in operative relation, the pressure-sensitive apparatus being in section taken on line IIIl1I of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view in section taken on line IV--IV of Fig. 3; and

. Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentaryview of one of the side bars of the regulator on which an angling bar and a rocker arm are mounted, to-

gether with an adjustment for varying the angle between the side bar and angling bar; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section on line VI-VI,

Fig. 3. a r

Fig; '1 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the side and angling bars, the rocker arm, and,

the adjustment shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a view in section of the regulator. taken on line VIII-VIII of Fig. l; and

Fig. 9 is a view in section taken on line IXIX of Fi 8.

Throughout the drawings and specification,

like reference characters indicate like parts.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, a regulator I, of the reciprocating piston typeis shown in connection with a pressure-sensitive device, or apparatus 2 adapted to control the direction and extent of movement of the piston in accordance with 5 changes in a variable to be regulated.

Regulator may be utilized to operate dampers, valves, stoker motors, and various other devices. In fact such devices are utilized to control the flow of gas in a conduit, the draft of a furnace, l0

thequantity of steam delivered to a stoker engine, in accordance with variations in the me dium controlled or. in accordance with varia-' tions in some other medium which may be effected either directly or indirectly thereby. 15

In practice, receiving regulators are operatedby and in accordance with the magnitude of.

pressure impulses delivered to the pressure-sensitive device of the regulator (in this case device 2) by a master regulator, not shown. The master 20 regulator responds to variations in a particular operative, as steam pressure, gas flow, draft, etc., and transmits pressure impulses to the pressure sensitive device 2 whereby the regulator is caused to function and make such adjustment in the set- 5 ting of a valve, damper, or whatever the device may be, as will maintain the particular operative substantially constant or will cause it to behave in some particular desired manner. v

The regulator illustrated comprises a cylinder 30 3, in which a double-acting piston P is disposed and provided with a piston rod 4. The outer end of the piston rod is attached to a cross head 5 to the opposite ends of which side bars 6 and I are secured. These side bars are located on 35 diametrically opposite sides of the cylinder, ex-

tend parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof,

and are guided in notches formed in the cylinder heads 8. The lower ends of the side bars are also connected by a cross head 5. Thus the side 40 bars and the cross-heads form, in effect, a frame which is carried by the piston rod, and either cross-head may be connected by suitable linkage to a damper, valve or whatever device is to be adjusted by and in accordance with movements 45 of the piston.

The medium utilized to operate the piston'in the cylinder 3 may be compressed air, or a suitable liquid under pressure, and for present purposes the medium may be taken to be compressed 50 air.

To move the piston upwardly, the compressed air is communicated to the cylinder at the lower side of the piston; and to move the piston downwardly the air is admitted-to the upper end of 55 the cylinder so that it acts on the upper side -ofthepiston. Whenairisadmittedsoastoacton one side of the piston air is exhausted from the space in the cylinder on the opposite side of the piston.

In order to admit compressed air to one side or the other of the piston and to exhaust air from the opposite side thereof, a pilot valve 9 is provided. This valve has an inlet port In to which a pipe ll having compressed air therein, is connected. The valve also has an exhaust port l2 and outlet ports I3 and I4. Port l3 co mmuni- 'cates with the upper end of the cylinder and port l4 with the lower end of the cylinder. Theseports of the valve are covered or uncovered by means of a valve plug l5 having three operative positions; on for, admitting air to the lower end of the cylinder from the inlet port It; on for admitting air from the inlet port to the upper end of the cylinder; and off. When the valve plug I5 is in the off position, inlet port it) and passage SI.

the outlet ports I 3 and I4 are closed; in the on position raise, outlet port l4 communicates with inlet port L and outlet port l3 connects the upper end of the cylinder with the exhaust port 12; and when in on position lower, outlet port 13 places the upper end of the cylinder in communication with inlet port I0 via passage S and outlet port l4 places the lower end of the cylinder in communication with the exhaust port via Thus the piston is caused to move either up or down depending on which on pc- 4 sition valve plug I is in, or the piston is stationary if the valve plug is in the off position.

The valve plug is operated to oneor the other of its on positions by device 2 in response to changes of pressure communicated thereto by a pressure impulse line It and is returned to off position (thereby stopping the piston) by mechanism (to be described later) that is operated by and in accordance with movements of the piston.

Further movement of the'piston requires that the valve plug be shifted to one or the other of its on" positions, but the piston is stopped again by the return of the valve plug to o position when the piston has moved a predetermined disis returned to oif position; The valve plug will not be shifted out of its oii" position until a definite increase in pressure in'theimpulse line has occurred.

The same action occurs if the pressure im pulses are decreasing and the piston caused. to move downwardly 'step-by-step. Each subsequent downward movement of the piston is oc-,

casioned by a definite decrease in pressure impulse with reference to the previous impulse.

' Thus it will be apparent that a positive pressure gradient is required in the operation of the pilot valve and stable operation of the regulator resuits.

Device 2 port ll havinga rearwardly projecthig'fiange it which is bolted to a pad it formed integral with comprises an annular frame or supthe wall oi cylinder 3, a ring 20, a cap 2| and a flexible diaphragm 22.

Ring includes concentric circumferential flanges 23 and 24 of diiferent diameters which are Joined by a horizontal web 25. The web rests 5 on circumferential shoulder 26 formed at the top of the inner surface of support II. The outer edge of the diaphragm is disposed between web and an annular shoulder 21 of the cap 2| so that when the cap is bolted to the support, a 10 pressure tight joint is formed. The central portion of the diaphragm is apertured as at 28to accommodate a bolt 29 that extends through a thrust member 30. The bolt includes-a washer 3| formed integral therewith which bears on the diaphragm all around its central aperture so that when a nut 32 is tightened, the diaphragm is clamped between the washer and thrust member to form a pressure. tight joint. The bottom of cap 2| being thus closed and sealed 20 by the diaphragm, in the manner above described, 7 a pressure tight chamber 33 is formed to which the pressure control impulses are transmitted by impulse line It.

The thrust member includes an inverted cup portion 34 at the lower end of which is formed an outwardly projecting flange 35 that underlies the depending flange 24 of ring 20 so as to act as a stop to limit the upward movement of diaphragm 22. Downward movement of the diaphragm is limited by means of an inwardly projecting annular flange 36 formed at the lower end of the support member i1. In order that an operative connection may be had between the diaphragm and valve plug I5,

.a link 38 is provided. This link has a ball-andsocket connection 39 with bolt 29 and a ball-andsocket connection 40 with the upper end of the valve plug. Thus, any misalignment between bolt 29 and valve plug IE will be compensated for by these ball-and-socket connections.

Device 2 includes also a compression spring 4| one end of which is nested in the inverted cup portion of the thrust member 30. The opposite end of this spring is nested in a socket 42 that has screw thread engagement with a collar 43. Collar 43 is connected to a forked arm 44 by trunnions 45 so that the collar may pivot relative to the lever. Arm 44 is keyed to a shaft 48 which is journaled in bearings 41 and 48 formed integral 5 with the support frame i1.

- The inner end of shaft 46 carries an arm 49 which is keyed to the shaft and which,'at its upper end, is provided with a roller 50 that rides on the angling bar 5!. Thus as the. piston moves, as carrying the angling bar 5| with it, arm 49 is caused to swing either in the direction of arrow 52, if the piston is moving upwardly, or in the direction of arrow 53 if the piston is moving downwardly.

It the piston moves upwardly, forked arm 44 is turned in such a direction as to raise socket 32 and compress springAI; or if the socket moves downwardly in response to downward movement of the piston, the tension in the spring is de: 05

creased.

When the valve plug is in "ofi position, the pressure acting on diaphragm 22 is balanced by the force ofthe spring exerted on the diaphragm. Thus, if it be assumed that the valve plug is in its "ofi position and an increase in the pressure impulse occurs, the diaphragm will move down-. wardly moving the valve plug downwardly to its on position raise, thereby compressing spring ii because the spring socket 42 has not moved. As

soon as the valve plug reaches its "on" position raise, compressed air is admitted to'the lower. end of cylinder 3 causing the piston to move upwardly. As the piston moves upwardly, arm 49 is caused to swing in the direction of arrow 52, spring socket 42 is moved upwardly and continues to move upwardly until theincreased spring tension overcomes the pressure acting on the diaphragm and returns the valve plug to ofi position. When this occurs, the piston stops and does not move again in an upward direction until the pressure acting onthe diaphragm increases a definite amount suilicient to move the valve plug to its on" positionraise. The piston then moves upwardly, arm 49 swings in the direction of arrow 52 as aforesaid, the spring socket is again raised, thereby compressing the spring until the force of the spring returns the valve plug to oil position.

If the pressure impulses delivered to chamber 33 are gradually increasing, the piston .will move upwardly step-by-step until it reaches the upper.

the valve plug upwardly until it is in the on position lower. When in this position, air is admitted to the upper end of the cylinder and the piston caused to move downwardly. As the piston moves down, arm 49 and forked arm 44 swing .in the direction of arrow 53, thereby lowering spring socket 42 and decreasing the force of the spring that is exerted in opposition to the impulse pressures acting on the diaphragm. As the spring tension is gradually lessened, the valve plug will be returned to ofi" position when there is an equilibrium between the pressure acting on the diaphragm and the force of the spring acting in opposition thereto.

If the pressure impulses acting on the diaphragm tend to decrease definite successive decreases in pressure are required to effect successive downward movements of the piston.

In order to regulate or adjust the amount of travel that the piston may make in either direction before returning the valve plug to ofi position, as above described, the upper end of angling bar 5| is pivoted to a. bracket 54 carried by side bar i and the lower end thereof is adjustably secured to a bracket 56 carried by the side bar.

Angling bar 5| is secured to bracket 56 by means of a bolt B which operates in a U shaped slot 55 in bracket 56, a nut N and washer W. When the nut is" drawn up tight the bar is clamped to the bracket. An adjustment screw 5| is threaded through the lower end of bar- 5| and bears against a stop 5|a, and by turning this screw in one direction or the other and main taining the end of the screw against the stop the angle between bars 5| and- I may be changed. When the proper angle has been attained the nut N is drawn up tight to lock bar 5| in place. By

changing the angle between the angling bar and side bar I, the length of piston travel required to return the pilot valve from one or the other 01 its "on positions, may be varied. To increase or lengthen such travel of the piston, the angle between the angling bar and side bar is decreased the compression or gradient spring is always under tension the roller on arm 39 will always be maintained in positive engagement with angling bar 5|. Since the angling bar is rigidly connected to shaft 46 and the forked am; 44 is also 5 rigidly connected to this shaft, there is no lost motion in the operative connections between the angling bar (and therefore the piston of the regulator), and the spring socket 42. For this reason, any change in pressure in the impulsefld chamber 33 will occasion immediate operation of valve plug l5 and immediate response by the piston working in cylinder 3.

From the above description it will be apparent also that if the pressure impulses communicated to pressure chamber-33 are not changing continuously but are either decreasing or increasing intermittently, that there will be a distinct stepby-stcp movement of the piston in cylinder 3.

However, assuming the pressure impulses in chamber 33 are steadilyincreasing, then it will" be apparent that there will be a corresponding continuous upward movement of the piston in the cylinder because equilibrium between the pressure acting on the diaphragm Z2 and the force exerted by the spring in opposition to such pressure will not be reached until such pressure im-. pulses cease to increase in magnitude. A similar action takes place if the pressure impulses communicated to chamber 33 are steadily decreasing. In such case there will be a steadyor continuous movement of the piston in a downward direction until equilibrium is reached between the force exerted by spring 4| and the pressure acting on V the diaphragm. r

With an arrangement such as described above the piston of the regulator will be caused to move substantially in direct proportion to the change in magnitude of the pressure impulses delivered to chamber 33 and acting on diaphragm 22. 40 Movements of the piston are, therefore, accurately controlled both as to extent and rate of movement.

While but one form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in this art that various modifications and changes may be made without departpended claims be given such scope and range 01 equivalents as law. v

What I claim as new and Letters Patent is:

1. In combination a regulator comprising a cylinder having a piston working therein, a mov-- able frame carried by the piston, and a pilot valve having raise and lower on positions and an off position for controllingthe admission of motive fluid to the cylinder and the direction of travel of the piston, of a pressure sensitive diaphragm having a thrust member secured thereto and connected to the valvestem of the pilot valve, a crank arm carried by the cylinder, a socket carried by said arm, a compression spring having one end in said socket and the other end bearing against the diaphragm thrust member, an inclined bar carried by the regulator frame and a crank arm connectedat one end to the spring socket crank arm and having a roller at the other end running on said inclined bar, said intheinvention merits under the desire to secure by D clined bar acting to turn said crank arms in such direction as to shift the spring socket and adjust the spring tension by such amounts as to eflect a return of the valve to .ofi position eaqh time the piston has moved the regulator frame a predetermined distance as the result of movement of the pilot valve to one of its on positions'in response to a change in pressure impulses acting on the diaphragm: V v

2. In combination a regulator comprising a fixed cylinder having a piston working therein, a movable frame carried by the piston, and a pilot valve having raise and lower on positions and an 011 position for controlling the admission of motive fluid to the cylinder and the direction of travel of the piston, of a pressure sensitive diaphragm having a thrust member secured thereto and connected to the valve stem of the pilot valve, a crank arm carried by the cylinder, a socket i carried by said arm, a compression spring having one end in said socket and the other end bearing against the diaphragm thrust member, an inclined bar carried by the regulator frame, means for adjusting the angle of inclination of said inclined bar, and a crank arm connected at one end to the spring socket crank arm and having a roller at the other end running on said inclined bar, said inclined bar acting to turn said crank arms in such direction as toshift the spring socket and adjust the spring tension by such amounts as to efiect a return of the valve to off position each time the piston has moved the regulator frame a predetermined distance as the result of movement of the pilot valve-to .one of its on positions in response to a change in pressure impulses acting on the diaphragm.

3. In combination a regulator comprising a cylinder having a piston working therein, a movable frame carried by the piston, and a pilot valve having raise and lower on positions and; an off position for controlling the admission of motive fluid to the cylinder and the direction of travel of the piston, of a pressure sensitive diai hragm connected to the valve stem of the pilot valve, a crank arm carried by the cylinder, a socket carried by said am, a compression spring having one end in said socket and the other end bearing against the diaphragm, an inclined bar .arm and having a roller at the otheren'd running on said inclined bar, said inclined bar acting to turn said crank arms in such direction as to shift the spring socket and adjust the spring tension by such amounts as to eiiect a return of the valve to ofl position each time the piston has moved the regulator frame a predetermined distance as the result of movement of the pilot valve to one of its on positions in response to a change in pressure impulses acting on the diaphragm.

4. In combination a regulator comprising a fixed cylinder having a piston working therein, a movable frame carried by the piston, and a pilot valve having raise and lower on,' positions and an oiI" position for controlling the admissioniof motive fluid to the cylinder and the direction of travel of the piston, of a pressure sensitive diaphragm connected to the valve stem of the pilot valve, a crank arm carried by the cylinder, 9. socket carried by said arm, a compression spring having one end in said socket and the other end bearing against the diaphragm, an inclined bar carried by the regulator frame, means for adjusting the angle of inclination of said inclined bar, and a crank arm connected at one end to the spring socket crank arm and having a roller at the other end running on said inclined bar, said inclined bar acting to turn said crank arms in such direction as to shift the spring socket and adjust the spring tension by such amounts as to efl'ect a return of the valve to oil position each time the piston has moved the regulator frame a predetermined'distance as the I sure impulses acting on the diaphragm.

ROBERT R. DONALDSON, J8. 

